Shipping is usually the second-largest variable cost after COGS. Setpilot models shipping costs by destination country and by the Shopify shipping rate the customer chose, so you can match what carriers actually charge you.
How shipping costs are matched
Lookup step | What Setpilot checks |
1. Shipping rate match | Does this order use a shipping rate you configured in Setpilot (e.g. "Standard US", "Express EU")? |
2. Country match | If no rate match, does the destination country have a configured cost? |
3. Worldwide default | If no country match, use the Worldwide cost. |
4. Shop default | If none of the above, use the default shipping cost from Settings. |
Setting up country-level costs
Go to Costs Setup → Shipping.
Select a country from the list (or click Add country to add a new one).
Enter the shipping cost — either as a flat amount per order or as a percentage of order value.
Optionally toggle Sync with worldwide so the country mirrors your global default.
Set the effective date if the cost should apply from a specific point in time.
Specify by shipping rate
For most stores, cost varies by the shipping rate the customer picked (Standard vs Express vs Overnight). In Setpilot:
Inside a country, enable Specify by shipping rate.
Setpilot imports your Shopify shipping rate names automatically.
Enter the carrier cost for each rate (e.g. Standard US: $5.20, Express US: $12.40).
The correct cost is matched on every order based on the shipping rate chosen at checkout.
Fixed vs variable costs
Fixed per order — a flat amount, regardless of order size (e.g. $6 per order).
Percentage of order value — useful for heavy items where shipping scales with weight or size.
Fixed plus percentage — combine a base fee with a variable component.
What to include
Include every cost tied to delivering the order:
Carrier postage and fuel surcharges.
Dimensional weight fees.
Shipping label platform fees (e.g. ShipStation, Easyship per-label).
Per-order 3PL handling fees (if not counted in product cost).
When no match is found
If an order arrives for a country you have not configured and no worldwide default exists, Setpilot uses the Default shipping cost from Settings. Set this sensibly as a fallback so every order gets a reasonable cost.